The present invention generally relates to lifters for refuse collection containers and, more specifically, to lifters for lifting, tilting and dumping residential-style refuse containers.
Refuse container lifters have been used for many years in a wide variety of settings. They have, for example, been mounted on refuse collection trucks, both rear and side load trucks. They have been mounted on larger multi-cubic yard refuse containers and they have been used in stationary refuse loading stations. An example of one successful refuse container lifter may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,658 to Zelinka and Redding. That patent is owned by the Perkins Manufacturing Company, which makes and sells a variety of lifters, including its well-known TuckAway lifter. Despite the wide variety of lifters being offered for sale, there continues to be need for lifters that have improved reliability and/or function; that are suitable for variety of applications on trucks, containers or stationary refuse collection stations; and/or that may be more efficiently manufactured at reduced cost.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lifter for lifting, tilting and dumping residential-style refuse containers that has improved reliability.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refuse container that is adapted for use in a variety of applications, such as on trucks, containers, or stationary refuse collection stations and also does not interfere with the use of lifters for other types of containers.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a refuse container lifter that is simple in design so that it may be efficiently and economically manufactured.